DOE & Meeting HOPE!

DAY 3 in Russia..A VERY SPECIAL DAY;)




View from Orphanage window...COLDDDDD!

Yes, yes I know I have kept you all waiting all this time...and it is only because we are soooo EXHAUSTED!!

So I am not gonna get into it in such depth..but will give you an overview..and maybe touch back a little later if I feel that I forgot a lot.

Okay, so we went to meet with the Department Of Education (D.O.E.), I was so nervous I thought I was going to stop breathing and faint! We drove there along with another couple (which helped the nerves a lil), and then met another couple from CT...all very nice, and all as nervous as us about the appointment;) When it was our turn to meet with the two nice ladies with smiles on their faces. They asked us brief questions about our home & lifestyle..and then gave us a pic of our referral!!! It was a very surprising pic..a little face I had seen before on the Russian Data Bank, but never pictured her or thought of her as a possible referral (possibly, because she was so young) she was born in 2009. Freddy & I felt very proud and already very emotional!
From there, we got to go immediately, to the orphange to meet our baby. Again, the nerves! Once we entered, we saw a spic & span cleaned baby home covered in a blanket of white snow. We waited a while and then got presented with our baby's history. It was short, but enough to understand, and be able to share with her one day -what she will want to know at some point in her life.

Then soon after, came baby! It was so quick I wasn't prepared! I was just taking in her info and her BM info, and her orphanage given name...it was a lot for me to take in. Then she popped up in her caregivers arms..very curious and already afraid. You can tell that she is Eurasian (very exotic eyes) and a lot paler than I had expected (she must get that from me) hehe..she also seems to be well fed (giggle). She immediately started crying though! And she has a cold and some wheezing;( so it was awful hearing her cry with that lil rattly voice & knowing there was nothing we could do for her. I actually panicked at some point also! I guess not sleeping (I couldn't sleep a wink last night) but surprisingly, I didn't cry! Though, Fred did-alot!

I started reaching for my bag to give her something to calm her; cookies, but she refused and cried more! Then I showed her toys that calmed her a lttle, but the bubbles were the best! She was instantly amused! I started to rock her a little (she is a heavy lil thing), then I offered her a lollipop (yes very bad of me) but she LOVED IT, and SUCKED AWAY! We then took out our blanket, and the rest of the toys, we put her on her tummy but she hated that. Though, I think that with some exercises, she will be much happier. She is a shorty, despite her weight, with tiny hands & feet. They had layered so many onesies on her..I am sure it is not helping her breathing. Freddy then took her away from me (guess he knew I was drowning) and he began showing her pics of the boys, and he put some music on too- (laptop)..she was very entertained and happy. She was jumping, and shaking her head no. She's a smart lil cookie, with quick reaction time and reflexes...so we're proud! she has a horrid haircut, but has beautiful hair (once it grows)...I remember myself asking GOD what it is we are supposed to do and feel (cause I felt overwhelmed & scared even), though, immediately we felt GOD's presence and asked to sign & change her name immediately! (her BM never named her, the orphanage did and she doesn't respond to it..probably cause it just doesn't suit her;) We got copies of her medical info/vaccines etc. I even changed her clothes and gave her the up-down and turn around looksies (I'm a mommy, its what we do;) She is just perfect for us really though...who can ask for more? I hope she will be happy with the change that will (GOD willing), soon take place in her young life (despite the beginning).

Once it was nap time, Fred and I felt sad...;( time flew by so fast (we were lucky to spend 3 hours with her) and we had so much fun and we feel so in love with this little girl;) I think she had fun too, especially with Daddy! We then said our good-byes, she kept turning around to look at us, which really hit Fred & I hard...she even would respond to her new name 'Hopee'! WAHHHHHHHHHH! ;(

Y'know it all took place so fast & went so smoothly- (we quickly became very comfortable with her and the staff)...that, it wasn't till the ride in the car and coming to the apartment, that I started to really get emotional. I keep looking at her pictures..and wishing we had more time, and wishing we didn't have to wait till February to return;( Well...we did all we could up to this point, its in GOD's care. We are so completely, thrilled to be Blessed with this gorgeous little Girl, that, we have decided that we will not see her again till trip 2. And that we will set out tomorrow morning early, (4AM) to try and catch a flight out of here to Paris (we really want to get home in time for Christmas for our boys)...I hope we did a good enough job for Hopee's first Christmas (poor baby)!

May everything be for her best interest!

P.S. She has really claimed her name-wink* (that's another post!)


MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS & MANY BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE!